Combination pad and cover unit for ironing table tops



Sept 12, 1961 D. J. MUNsoN ETAL 2,999,325

COMBINATION PAD AND COVER UNIT FOR IRONING TABLE TOPS Filed Aug. 6, 19582 Sheets-Sheet l lllllllulllllv. lllllllllll f Il 1| f f/ f [U H l l l 4H6 i l|- 'f E' I 7 INVENToRs 20 L DOA/,44o JMW/60N a" /6 l BY ROBERT6057, ask 'gal i 42 Y' A/e Z9 I I A Tramways 2,999,325 COMBINATION PADAND COVER UNIT FOR IRONING TABLE TOPS Filed Aug. e, 1958 Sept. 12, 1961D. J. MUNsoN ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent C) 2,999,325CMBENATN PAD AND CVER UNET EGR RONING TABLE TPS Donald J. Munson,Minneapolis, Minn., and Robert Gustin, Boston, Mass., assigner-s to Thei. R. uClark Company, Spring Park, Minn., a corporation of MinnesotaFiied Ang. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 7553,56?. 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-146) Thisinvention relates to means for padding and covering the top or board ofan ironing table.

The conventional ironing board is provided with a laterally taperingnose portion to facilitate the ironing of certain small objects.However, the tapered nose hampers the ironing of large flatwork objectssuch as sheets, tablecloths or the like where a long straight edge onthe board is desirable. Accordingly, it has been found highlyadvantageous to construct the table top with laterally movable wings totill in the voids on either side of the tapered nose so that the top isconvertible between a generally rectangular design and the conventionalforwardly tapering design. Examples of this type of top construction arefound in copending applications for patent Serial No. 641,149, nowPatent No. 2,939,232, granted June 7, 1960, and Serial No. 731,537, nowPatent No. 2,939,233, granted lune 7, 1960, respectively tiled onFebruary 19, 1957, and April 28, i958, by the present applicant Munson.The pad and cover unit disclosed herein is particularly adapted for useWith this type of convertible table top.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a combinationpad and cover unit for an ironing table top, wherein the top isselectively expandable and contractable to provide different shapedironing surfaces, which unit will automatically expand and contract withthe top to fully cover 'the top in any adjusted condition.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a pad and coverfor an ironing table top, the top having laterally movable wing sectionsfor converting the top between a rectangular shape and an elongatedendwise tapering shape, which pad and cover are laterally expandable andcontractable to move with the wing sections to fully cover the top ineither adjusted shape.

Another object of the invention -is to provide a pad of poroussponge-like material for an ironing table top having top surface memberswhich are relatively movable on contingent planes for adjustment of thesize of the ironing surface area provided by the top, the said padhaving protective lining means isolating the sponge-like mateiial fromthe movable members to protect said material from wear and destruction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cover device foran ironing table top having a skirt for extending around the edge of thetop to hold the cover in place, the said skirt so constructed as toprovide a relatively tight peripheral grip on the top.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combination padand cover unit for an ironing table top with the unit having a built-incentering means engageable with the periphery of the top to preventlateral slippage and misplacement of the top under pressure incurredduring the ironing operation.

With there objects in mind the present invention broadly comprises acombination pad and cover unit for an expandable nose ironing table topof the type described, wherein the unit is provided with a contractableskirt adapted to engage snugly around the peripheral edge of the top,and having tension members intercrossing under the nose portion of thetop allowing the unit to expand and contract with the top nose portion.The invention ICC is further characterized by providing a liner meansunder the pad to lie immediately over the movable table top members toabsorb wear and tension applied to the padding material. The unit isalso provided with a continuous relatively stiff lip located just insidethe skirt adapted to peripherally cap the table top to retain the pad ina centered position on the top.

The above mentioned and additional objects of the invention will bebrought to light during the course of the following specification,reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in Which- FIG. l is aplan view of the front portion of an ironing table top having alaterally expandable nose with wing sections of the top movable to thepositions shown in broken lines.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the table top portion shown in FIG. 1 withthe pad and cover unit, forming the subject matter of the presentinvention, applied t the top.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section through the top and pad and cover unittaken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an inverted plan View of the top with the pad and cover unitapplied thereto and with the nose of the ytable in expanded condition.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the side skirt ofthe unit in side elevation.

FIG. 6 is an inverted plan view of the top with the pad and cover unitattached thereto and with the nose portion of the top in collapsedcondition.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section through the unit as applied to the toptaken on line 7 7 of FIG. 2 and showing the pad and cover unit ininverted plan with the nose portion of the top expanded.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings reference characterswill be used to denote like parts or structural features in thedifferent views. The ironing table or the top thereof form no part ofthe present invention. However, portions of an ironing table top areshown in many of the views for a better understanding of the invention.

A form of expandable nose table top is designated generally at it?. Thetop is formed by longitudinal and transverse frame members denotedrespectively at 11 and 12 having their ends connected by a peripheralrim 14. A section l5 of flat sheet material such a llattened expandedmetal rests upon the frame members within the rim 14 to form a iiatironing surface on the top. The

ltop is configured in conventional manner to have a tapering noseportion 16 terminating in a rounded front end 17. A pair of wingsections 18 are normally disposed within the table nose portion 1.6 andare pivoted near their rear ends on axis perpendicular to the plane ofthe sheet 15 for lateral movement between the relatively closed positionshown in FIG. l and the expanded position denoted by broken lines.Movement of the sections lS may be eifected by a pivoted control 1.9(FIG. 4) mounted on the underside of the table nose portion l5 andconnected to the sections 18` by means of links 2t).

Accordingly, by operation of control 19 about its pivot the frontportion of the top 10 may be converted between the conventionalforwardly tapering shape (FIG. 1) and an expanded condition where theside edges thereof are parallel (FiG. 4).

The combination pad and cover unit for the top just described isdesignated generally by the numeral 24. The unit has a top sheet 25 offabric material which is generally rectangular and substantiallycoextensive in area with the table top lil with the nose portion thereofexpanded. One or more layers or sheets of padding material underlie thecover sheet 25. The padding is here shown as a sheet 26 of syntheticfoam rubber sponge which is suiciently porous to allow the downwardpassage of steam therethrough. The sheet 26 is substantially equal -inarea to sheet 25. Sheets and 26 are of such a size as to extend slightlybeyond the peripheral edges of the table so as to have the marginalportions Z7 and Z8 thereof hang over the rirn 17 as shown in FIG. 3. Aperipheral skirt for the unit adapted to engage downwardly over the rim17 of the top andthe wing sections 18 is designated generally by thenumeral 29. This skirt comprises an elongated strip of fabric which iscut on the bias as shown in FIG. 5 with the threads therein runningobliquely with respect to` the longitudinal edges of the material. Theupper edge of strip 30 is folded inwardly as at 31 inside a fabric strip32 which covers the marginal edges of the sheets 25 and 26. A stitching34 extends through the upper edges of strip 32, the sheets 25 and 26,and skirt 30 and its folded-over portion 3-1 to securely hold thevarious components of the unit together. The marginal portions of sheetsZ5 and 26 form a lip covered by strip 312. and adapted to engage aroundthe periphery of the table top to hold the unit in place on the top.

A folded welt strip 35 is stitched around the lower edge of the strip 30and this holds a continuous length of elastic 36 which serves to pullthe skirt 29 inwardly around the rim of the table.

Turning now to FIG. 7 which shows the unit in inver-ted plan as itappears with the table top wings 18 extended, the lip extending aroundthe junction of the skirt Z9 with the pad 26 is clearly observable. Thislip is denoted by its welt or covering fabric strip 32. It will be notedthat with the pad and cover unit stretched out the lip covered by strip32 is configured to lit closely around the periphery of the top. Thisassures a rm seating of the unit on the top to prevent lateral slippageunder the pressures of the ironing operation. This lip also assures ataut and centered position of the pad forward portion without furthereffort after the table top has been converted from a contracted to anexpanded position. This is due to the fact that the wings 18 engage thelip at each side of the expanding nose portion and simultaneously exertan outward force thereon.

FIG. 7 also shows the liner member 37 which is provided along theunderside of the padding 26. This member has a general V-shape as shownand completely covers the underside of the padding 26 in the area alongwhich lthe wing sections 18 move during their expanding or contractingmovement. The outer edges of member 37 are stitched into the strip 32along with the marginal portions 297 and 2-8 and the folded-over portion31 of the skirt 3ft. Member 37 is formed of fabric and not only servestto prevent wear or destruction of the portions of pad 26 coveredthereby but also affords a relatively slippery surface, as compared topadding 26, so

as to ease the movement of the wing sections therealong.

It is found preferable to form the liner 317 in a single section toavoid any wrinkling thereof which might be caused by the lateralmovement of the wings.

The pad and cover unit is mounted on the top as shown in FIG. 6 with thetop in its normal forwardly tapering condition. Cross tension straps areused extending under the top to supplement the elastic skirt 29 inholding the unit snugly against the top. One such strap, denoted at 39,has one end attached to a portion of the skirt 219 and carries a clip 40at its other end for releasably gripping the transversely opposing skirtportion. A pair of straps 41 are attached at transversely opposingpoints on the skirt 29 near the front end of the unit. Each of thesestraps 41 carries a clip 42. at its extended end. In w'ew of the normallooseness of the front portion of the unit Z4 when the wings 18 arecontracted, the straps 41 are arranged in an intercrossing relation witheach clip 421 being attached to the skirt 29 adjacent the opposingforward corner of the unit.

4. With such intercrossing arrangement of the straps the forward portionof the unit is held snugly around the tapered front end 16 of the tabletop. Straps 39' and 41 are longitudinally elastic and are stretched tobe placed under tension prior to the attachment of clips 40 and 42.

It will now be understood that when control 19 is manipulated by theoperator to spread the wing sections 18 to the position shown in FIG. 4the tension straps 41 will yield allowing the unit 24 to be distendedwith the top. Conversely, when the wings 18 are contracted underoperation of control 19 the crossed tension members 41 ywill pull theexcess portions of the unit 24 again snugly around the nose portion ofthe top 10. Accordingly, the unit 24 automatically adjusts itself to theshape of the table.

The skirt 29 will automatically engage closely around the periphery ofthe top due to its inherent construction. As hereinbefore mentioned theskirt is continuous extending around the entire unit. Similarly the Welt35 and the elastic cord 35 carried therein are continuous extendingalong the entire lower marginal edge of the skirt. Accordingly, theskirt is biased in a contracting direction. Moreover the contractingforce of the member 36 is transmitted through the skirt strip 30 inintercrossing fortyve degree diagonal directions with respect to theplane of the top due to the fact that the strip is cut on the bias, asshown in FIG. 5. This construction assures a close binding contact ofthe skirt with the periphery of the top depthwise as well as throughoutits continuous length.

We have thus provided a unitary pad and cover construction whicheconomically and effectively carries out the aforementioned objectives.It is understood that suitable modifications may he made in thestructure as disclosed, provided such modiications come Within thespirit and scope of the appended claim. Having now therefore fullyillustrated and described our invention, What we claim to be new anddesire fto protect by Letters Patent is:

A combination pad and cover unit for an ironing table top comprising asection of relatively thick padding material having a pad portionadapted to completely cover `the top and a peripheral marginal portionadapted to depend downwardly around the peripheral edge of the top, acover sheet of fabric material completely overlapping the pad portionand having a peripheral marginal po1tion extending downwardly along theoutside of the marginal portion of the padding material, a skirtextending completely around the peripheral edge of the top outside ofthe marginal portion of said sheet, said skirt, cover sheet and sectionbeing stitched together along the line of juncture of the section padportion and marginal portion to form a xed continuous downwardlydirected lip of said marginal portions within the skirt adapted toclosely engage around the periphery of the top to prohibit lateralslippage of the unit along the top under normal ironing pressures, anelongated strip of fabric material covering the lip throughout itslength, said strip being formed in a U-shape in cross section andextending downwardly inside the lip, then under the lip, and upwardlybetween the lip and skirt, and being held by the stitching along saidline of juncture.

References (ited in the tile of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS457,033 Sanders Aug. 4, 1891 1,907,001 Gray Oct. 24, 1911 1,565,373 KohnDec. l5, 1925 2,521,534 Pattison Sept. 5, 1950 2,622,353 Mendelson Dec.23, 1952 2,639,519 Polk et al. May 26, 1953 2,814,135 Freeman Nov. 26,1957 2,850,817 Rudd et al. Sept. 9, 1958

